The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1887-05-06

them, and if in their Judgment any of
such bills should pass. they shall 50
recommend, in reporting other bills COW
ering the same subject matter.
The Attorney General, upon the sug-
gestion of your committee, has courte-
ously rendered his services to the several
committees in drafting all necessary
bills, and we recommend that the COM
mittees avail themselves of the valuable
assistance of the Attorney General.
Your committee further report that it
has been brought to their attention that
a proper cOdificatiOn of the laws of Flor
ida is greatly needed, a simple digest
bsing of necessity unreliable, containing
i'm many instances the opinions of the
compilers of what the law should be,
rather than what it is, and we recon-
mend that the Judiciary Committees of
both Houses take this matter under con-
sideration and report by bill or other
wise. as they deem proper.
Signed, ID. $. WALKER, JR-.
Chairman Senate Committee.
III. G.. MASON.
Chairman Committee of the House.
larlv by both Houses, and the work is
being pushed with great industry. Many
of the more important measures are still
in committee.
THE RAILROAD COMMISSION BILL.
The joint railroad commission COM
mittee have reported substitute for all
commission bills, which is practically
the existing Georgia law. Nearly all the
prominent railroad men in the State have
been before the committee during its
a.t .v,l in f,.1
the bill reported is far from satisfactory
to- the railroad interest. as the same rules
which might work no injury in Georgia
may operate hardly upon the undevel-
Oped railroad interests of Florida. A
part of the committee, headed by Senator
Delano, of Volusia, reported a substitute
for the committees substitute in the fol-
lowing language
The differences between the substitute
and the original bill are in substance as
follows:
SECTION /. The salary of the Commits
sioners is increased to s.. 500 per annum.
SEC. ,. The Commissioners are au-
thorized to hold sessions wherever they
may see fit within the State. Under the
original bill they cannot act outside of
Tallahassee.
Section in the original bill makes a
a railroad company which charges one
cent too much, although it does So in
perfect good faith, liable to fine of
from 900 to 5000. The substitute
makes the fine vary from 800 to 5000
and allows it to be inflicted only after
the Commissioners have fixed the rates.
Section is changed So that the fine of
81, 900 shall be imposed oEiy when the
Commissioners have fixed the rules of
discrimination.
In section 6 the substitute makes the
schedules fixed by the Commissioners
''primd fdcie" instead of sufficient" ev-
idence; relieves the State of the expense
of advertising in nine newspapers sched-
ules which will occupy pages of print;
and provides that the Commissioners shall
act only on complaint and after hear
ing and the decisions shall be subject to
revision i'm the courts.
Section Is in the substitute limits the
action of the original section to stations
where agents are regularly employed.
THE MATTER OF APPEAL-
Section IA requires annual instead of
semi annual reports. The most impOr-
tant difference between the substitute
and the original bill is the proyiso added
by the substitute to the sixth section of
the original bill. The original bill pro-
poses to create star-chamber commits
sion which shall give hearing to no
body. except at its own sweet will; shall
be responsible and accountable to- no.
body, and shall be authorized to force
any or every road in the State into bank
ruptcy, without allowing its stockhold-
ers a moments hearing. This is not the
way to allure into Florida the millions of
foreign capital which we need for the
proper development of our State. The
substitute herewith reported allows the
railroads to fix temporarily their own
fares and freights, but authorizes the
Commission to revise and fix them. after
hearing both sides, whenever anybody
complains of them. An appeal Is al
lowed from the decision of the Commits
mission. but it is carefully provided a.
that the Commissions decision shall take
effect at once and stay in effect until
modified by the courts. whether or not
an appeal is taken, and ~ that all the
court costs. including the other sides at
torneys fees, shall all he paid by the
railroad company. With such safe
guards there is no danger Of useless
litigation, for an appeal can not cause
delay and will b., wholly at the cost of
the railroad. But this provision will
give the railroads. which are the largest
tax payers in our State. the largest EN-
ployers of labor and the chief element in
our development, the rights which are
guaranteed To the meanest criminal-the
right not to he condemned unhearI and
the right tn have an impartial Judge
finally pass upon the question of his
guilt or Innocence. This will give the
people the amplest protection. and at the
same time will not repel the investment
in Florida of the capital we need. The
original bill creates board of three ire
sponsible despots this is un-American.
A''e NhVsitto ~ VI
ton. clothed with the fullest power Ia
enforce its conclusions. but directed to
hear both sides before coming To a con
clusion.
We understand that a Majority of the
Joint committee favor an appeal to the
court in some form. We recommend the
printing of the parts of the substitute
which differ from the original bill.
CHOATE.
Voting in the Air